5 foods to boost your immune system

While everyone is talking about the coronavirus COVID-19, we need to remember that influenza is a more immediate threat here in the United States.

Here are five foods to be sure to incorporate in your diet so that you have the strongest immune system this flu season.

1. Vitamin C: This probably comes to no surprise to you, but it is important to get enough of this immune-boosting vitamin. By ingesting up to 1 gram daily of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, you may be able to shorten the length of a cold or flu. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant and essential for collagen and other protein synthesis within the body. Most fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C, but your best sources are citrus fruits, asparagus, cantaloupe, strawberries and kale.

2. Zinc: Personally, I am a believer in taking zinc (and drinking Emergen-C) at the first onset of a cold. Anecdotally, I think it shortens my cold and lessens the severity of my symptoms. I practice what I preach. Zinc is found in the human body in all organs, tissues and body fluids. Some if its physiological roles include cell growth, cell membrane integrity, bone formation, skin integrity, cell-mediated immunity and generalized host defense. The best food sources of zinc are red meats (particularly organ meats) and seafood. Whole grains and leafy root vegetables are good plant sources of zinc. You can also take a zinc supplement; however, it is important to follow the guidelines on the bottle, as there are side effects of taking too much zinc.

3. Vitamin E: It’s main function in immune health is as an antioxidant that rids your body of those damaging free radicals bouncing around your system. Think of free radicals as bulls in a china shop destroying things left and right. Antioxidants are like the repairmen that capture the bull, and then help to repair whatever the free radicals destroyed. Vitamin E is found primarily in plant foods, but best sources are in oils from plant foods such as canola and safflower oil. Nuts and peanut butter are also good sources of vitamin E.

4. Probiotics: There is growing evidence to support the assertion that a healthy gut promotes a healthy immune system. One way to keep a healthy gut, or gastrointestinal tract, is to be sure you are eating enough probiotics. These are foods that contain live or active cultures of specific bacteria that are thought to actually keep your gut healthy. They include yogurt, cheese and other fermented foods and now beverages like kombucha. While the exact mechanism for how probiotics support immune function is not known, what we do know is that probiotics are thought to enhance the body’s immune defense system by increasing secretion of antibodies; preventing bad bacteria to colonize in your gut; and enhancing lymphocyte cytokine responses. What can really help your gut bacteria flourish is ensuring you are eating enough prebiotics, or foods that help feed probiotics, such as fruits and vegetables. Probiotics is a growing field of interest in the nutrition community, not only for gut health but also for weight loss.

5. Protein: I saved the best for last and cannot preach about protein enough. It is so important on so many levels for us to eat enough protein throughout the day. Most of the protein found in our body is in our skeletal muscle or about 40%; over 25% is found in our organs; and the rest in our skin and blood. In fact, we have an entire group of proteins in our blood called immunoproteins, also known as immunoglobulins or antibodies. That’s right, our antibodies, the ones that fight off disease, bacteria and viruses, are made of protein. So, if you aren’t getting enough through your diet, your body can’t make enough antibodies to help you fight whatever germs you pick up throughout the day. The main protein food sources are meats and seafood, so chicken, poultry, fish and shellfish. However, you can also get a good amount of protein from eggs, milk, yogurt and cheese.

Keep yourself protected this flu season by eating for a healthy immune system.

Courtesy of Houstonchronicle